


Nomdeplume

by an0neemouse



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: AUTHOR AU, Angst, Crime, EXO - Freeform, Journalist, Kidnapping, Light Smut, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Murder, Mystery, Oneshot, Plot Twist, Suspense, Thriller, cop, editor, sort of love triangle, student
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 00:09:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17735270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/an0neemouse/pseuds/an0neemouse
Summary: “They tell me you’re a famous author.”“So they say.” Kyungsoo acknowledges with a shrug.“I was hoping to interview you.” Baekhyun says pulling out a composition notebook and a pen. He looks expectantly at the other man, as if waiting for permission to open it. “I’m a journalist at the Seoul Sun newspaper.”A slow smile pulls up one side of Kyungsoo’s mouth and he leans back in his chair, a picture of relaxation. “Sure. Why not? I’ve got nothing but time.”~*~The first meeting had to have been aligned in the stars, or at least that’s what Chanyeol thinks. There’s no way to plan a meeting like that, a literal collision of worlds, so brief and yet so meaningful at the same time. Very few words were actually exchanged as they both scrambled to pick up their belongings from where they scattered across the floor of the subway terminal and hurry off to catch their respective trains.There was no way for him to know it at the time but that meeting, simple and short, was to shape the rest of his life.





	Nomdeplume

**Author's Note:**

> Um... this story was inspired by a single picture and one very fragmented conversation with MissIdash.  I don't really know what to say for myself, except I'm sorry.

“They tell me you’re a famous author.” 

“So they say.” Kyungsoo acknowledges with a shrug. “What I want to know is, who are you?”

“My name is Byun Baekhyun.” The other man says with a little bow, manners so deeply ingrained that it never even occurs to him to not. “And you are Do Kyungsoo.”

“Yes I am.” Kyungsoo says with a little nod in return. “And what can I do for you, Byun Baekhyun?”

“I was hoping to interview you.” Baekhyun says pulling out a composition notebook and a pen. He looks expectantly at the other man, as if waiting for permission to open it. “I’m a journalist at the Seoul Sun newspaper.”

A slow smile pulls up one side of Kyungsoo’s mouth and he leans back in his chair, a picture of relaxation. “Sure. Why not? I’ve got nothing but time.”

~*~

The first meeting had to have been aligned in the stars, or at least that’s what Chanyeol thinks. There’s no way to plan a meeting like that, a literal collision of worlds, so brief and yet so meaningful at the same time. Very few words were actually exchanged as they both scrambled to pick up their belongings from where they scattered across the floor of the subway terminal and hurry off to catch their respective trains. 

“Oh!” Chanyeol exclaims pulling up short as best he can in order to stop from completely barreling over the smaller man as he exits the escalator with the flow of traffic. The people around them part like the Red Sea and just keep going, the occasional foot scattering their fallen possessions even farther. “Oh hell, I’m so sorry! I was- I was distracted by my phone- Are you okay?”

“Shit.” The smaller man says scrambling to extricate himself from Chanyeol’s grasp and go after the papers he had been carrying but which are now scattered across the terminal. “Shit.”

“Here, let me help.” Chanyeol hurriedly shoves the phone in his pocket and bends over, beginning to collecting the sheets. The terminal is emptying out, people dwindling out like grains of sand from an hour glass as they filter off into their respective trains and connections. Leaning down he scoops up a pile of papers and other sundry items, shoving them back into the smaller man’s arms. “I’m so sorry. I should have been paying better attention.”

“It’s okay.” The man says in a tight voice. “I’m late and now my pages are out of order. Shit. Here, let me help you get your stuff-”

“No no, go, I’ll be okay.” Chanyeol says with a blinding smile. His books hand landed in a haphazard little pile not far from them and he knows he can gather them up easily enough and still be on time for class. “You go ahead. I’ll be fine. Don’t be late.”

The smaller man looks like he’s ready to argue but then he nods, utters a quick thank you and hurries off, barely making it onto the train before the doors slide close and it takes off down the tunnel. Chanyeol watches after him as the train speeds away and then goes to collect his own belongings, shoving the books into his satchel without looking at them. He didn’t know it at the time but that meeting, simple and short, was to shape the rest of his life. 

~*~

It isn’t until Kyungsoo is sitting down on the train after the third stop when there’s finally an open seat that he actually gets to sort through the detritus of papers and belongings in his arms. To his relief his manuscript isn’t too horribly out of order and within another two stops he has it nearly back to normal. He’s just sifting through the last little bit when something considerably heavier falls out of the pages and lands with a thunk next to his feet. For one second he stares at the black square of foldable leather in confusion but then he leans down and scoops it up, flicking it open to see an ID in photo-laminate staring up at him, the earnest face of the man who nearly knocked him over staring up at him. He flicks through the rest of the wallet with interest, there’s a small stack of bills totaling less than 50,000 won behind the slots holding what appear to be a debit card, a library card, and a student ID. He goes back to the government ID and looks it over. ‘Park Chanyeol. Born 27 November 1992. Resident of Seoul, in the Dongdaemun-gu district near KyungHee University.’ 

Interesting. He’ll have to get the wallet back to him soon. The ticker tape above the door reads Gangnam-gu. Quickly he flips the wallet closed and shoves it in a pocket for later before scooping up his pages and cueing up by the door for his exit. The publisher at Min-Eumsa won’t appreciate it if he’s late for any reason. 

~*~

“Hey buddy, I started to think you weren’t gonna make it. You’re lucky you got here just in the nick of time.” Jongin says sidling up to where Chanyeol sits at the very back of the classroom digging through his bag with a concerted look on his face. “What’s happened? You’re never late for class and you didn’t answer my text.”

“I bumped into someone in the subway.” Chanyeol tells him not looking up from digging in his bag. 

“Oh?” Jongin perches on the edge of the desk and looks down at his friend. “Someone you know?”

“No, no.” Chanyeol glances up. “No, I literally ran into someone when I was checking your text. Dropped a bunch of my books and stuff and made an absolute mess of the papers he was carrying.”

“Oh. I get it. Was he at least cute?”

Chanyeol gives Jongin’s hip a little shove forcing the other to stand up or fall and then goes back to digging in his bag. 

“What are you looking for, buddy?” Jongin comes right back and slides his butt up on the desk again. 

“My wallet, I can’t find it anywhere.” Chanyeol says giving it up as a bad job and dumping the contents of his bag out on the desk so he can return them all one by one and make sure the wallet isn’t hiding anywhere. “I must have dropped it in the subway.”

“Uh-oh.” 

“Yeah,, uh-oh is right.” Chanyeol manages to get everything back in his bag and heaves a heavy sigh. “Well shit.”

“Call your bank and cancel your card.” Jongin tells him sagely. “Last year I didn’t do that fast enough after I lost my wallet at a party and somebody decided my bank account was fair game.”

“I’ll call in between English Lit and Creative Journalism.” 

“Why do you have such a boring major?” Jongin asks him with a wrinkled nose. 

“Yeah cuz architectural design is so much more interesting.” Chanyeol shoots back rolling his eyes and getting up so that the desk tips forward with Jongin’s weight and the other man has to catch himself quickly. “C’mon. Next class is in ten minutes.”

~*~

“Yeah, this just isn’t going to work for us.” 

“What part isn’t working?” Kyungsoo asks trying not to get too discouraged. Getting published is hard, he knew that coming into this. But he’s been visiting with an editor at Min-Eumsa for a couple months now and he’s made all the changes they’ve suggested so for them to tell him it ‘just isn’t going to work’ is about enough to blow the top off his head. 

“All of it.” The editor, Junmyeon says with a little shrug. “Look, you’re not a bad writer, there just isn’t any real drive. There’s no pulse to your story. It needs more. I don’t feel it. And if I don’t feel it readers won’t either. Books that don’t engage people don’t sell.”

“How can I make it more engaging then?” Kyungsoo presses through clenched teeth. He’s put years of effort into this story. How can this guy tell him it’s not engaging? 

“I don’t believe the story. Your main character isn’t believable.” Junmyeon tells him brutally. “Find some way to pull us into the story. Make us believe everything your characters do. Then we’ll talk publishing.”

“Find a way to make you believe it.” Kyungsoo parrots thinking that over. “So what? Do more research?”

“If you think that’ll help.” Junmyeon tells him and the tone of voice he’s using very clearly states he doesn’t think it will. “Whatever you gotta do, do it. Until then, don’t waste any more of my time.”

~*~

“Oh thank goodness.” Chanyeol exclaims taking his wallet from the other man. “Thank you so much! My friend, Jongin, kept telling me horror stories of losing his wallet and having everything he owns stolen and I just, I couldn’t help it, my mind would not stop worrying and boy am I glad you returned it.” He flicks it open and looks inside. Everything is right where he left it. “Sorry, I’m rambling.”

Kyungsoo chuckles a little and shakes his head. Is this guy for real? “Don’t worry about it.”

“Thanks again, I really can’t thank you enough.” 

“Don’t mention it.” 

“Uh- can I buy you coffee or something? To say thank you?” Chanyeol asks slipping his wallet back in his pocket and finally taking notice of the other man for the first time. He’s short, with natural black hair and gigantic pansy eyes offset by the most luscious creamy skin and Chanyeol thinks he’s absolutely gorgeous. A dark flush starts in his chest and creeps up his neck. “Sorry, I never even got your name.”

“It’s Kyungsoo.” Kyungsoo supplies looking around at the coffee shop Chanyeol had chosen to meet at. “And you of course, are Chanyeol.”

“Guilty.” Chanyeol says with a charming grin. His phone chirps in his pocket but he ignores it. It’s probably Baekhyun anyway. “But seriously, can I get you some coffee? I really appreciate you returning my wallet.” 

“No problem.” Kyungsoo sighs and looks back at the younger man, taking in the earnest look on his face and the flush creeping up his neck. He’s kinda cute in a lost pet, hyperactive puppy kind of way. “Unfortunately I’ve got to get going. Thanks for the offer though. I’ll see you around.”

~*~

Kyungsoo’s brain feels broken. He sits in front of his computer and stares at the word document. The words blur together and he takes another long pull from his glass in hopes the whiskey will help steady the characters. How the hell can that editor say his story doesn’t connect? How can he say it isn’t believable? 

Even unable to read the words he knows what it says. He wrote the damn thing after all. He knows every word and line and scene and paragraph. More than that though he knows it’s realistic. Taking another long swig of whiskey he lets his eyes slide out of focus and thinks it over. Maybe he ought to prove it, if not to the editor then to himself. His story is as real as they come. But maybe… yes. Maybe if he lives his own story he’ll be able to write it in a way that connects. 

He takes another big drink and smacks at the burn. Yes. He’ll do it.

~*~

“This is good work.” Baekhyun praises lowering the pages so he can look at Chanyeol. “You did great work on this!”

“Thanks hyung.” Chanyeol flushes with pleasure. “It’s based off what I could find in the papers obviously. No one’s gonna talk to a kid about a crime but I wanted to give it a try.”

“Don’t cut yourself short.” Baekhyun tells him raising the pages again and rereading the last paragraph. “You graduate college at the end of the semester and then you’ll be in the job market. You’re no more a kid than I am.”

“The job market, damn, who the hell is gonna hire me?” 

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that.” Baekhyun says lowering the pages again and setting them aside. He looks at the younger man, seeing him staring off into space, mind enveloped in worry for his future, a worry that Baekhyun can help alleviate. “I showed the boss a few of your works. He likes the way you write and I’ve had too much on my plate to do it all on my own anymore. Thank goodness for crime I guess. Anyway, he gave me permission to offer you a secondary position under me when you graduate. You’d work for me and all pages would have to go through me before they make it in the paper but you’d be published under your own name. It would be a great way for you to break into crime writing.”

“Really?” Chanyeol asks, eyes shining. He can’ think of anything better. “You- you’d want me to work with you?”

“Yes.” Baekhyun chuckles. “I wasn’t blowing smoke up your ass when I said you’re a good writer. I’d love to work with you.”

“And this isn’t-”

“No.” Baekhyun cuts him off. “Don’t even entertain the idea. You’re a great writer. Our- relationship has nothing to do with it.”

“If I work for you I think we should stop- I mean, it just muddies the waters, doesn’t it?” Chanyeol says wanting to make sure Baekhyun is okay with this. They weren’t exactly a couple, more like friends with benefits, or rather mentor and mentee with benefits, but the last thing he wants is to injure Baekhyun in any way by their relationship casting doubt on the older man’s credibility. This is a great opportunity, one he doesn’t want to mess up by sleeping with his supervisor. 

“Yeah, you’re right.” Baekhyun agrees with a little nod. “No point giving people a chance to accuse us of anything untoward.” 

“Right.” Chanyeol doesn’t want to examine why that leaves a sour weight in his stomach. Does he like Baekhyun more than he realized? Is there more than the satisfaction of needs and the admiration of a more talented writer?

“But-” Baekhyun lets the word hang for a moment before continuing. “I mean- there’s no need to cut those ties until you graduate, and definitely not tonight.”

Chanyeol’s smile is slow to bloom but when it does it’s like one of those time lapsed photos of a flower in bloom as his lips pull back to reveal perfect white teeth. “Oh good. I’m glad we’re in agreement.”

~*~

If asked he wouldn’t be able to give an answer as to why but Kyungsoo has started hanging out at the coffee shop Chanyeol had met him at when he returned the wallet. His apartment feels like bad juju so each morning he packs up his computer and heads down to the subway, traveling all the way across town to sit at the little coffee shop just off Kyung Hee University’s campus. If he looks up each time the doorbell jingles he just calls it being aware of his surroundings. There’s no way he’s hoping to see the tall college student again. 

And then one day Chanyeol does walk in, nose buried in his phone. He’s carrying that heavy satchel again and looks like he’s got a lot on his mind, going directly to the counter to order before turning and scanning the seats in the cafe. There isn’t a single open table and Kyungsoo can actually see the slump in Chanyeol’s shoulders at the thought of having to leave and go somewhere else for whatever it is he has to work on. Pasting what he hopes is a welcoming smile onto his face Kyungsoo raises a hand in greeting, wiggling his fingers in a gentle wave. He knows it’s effective when a bright smile lights Chanyeol’s face and the tall man waves back, grabs his coffee from the hand off plane and comes over. 

“Hey there! I never thought I’d see you again, how are you?” 

Kyungsoo thinks it’s fucking adorable how Chanyeol greets him, as if they’re long lost friends or something. It makes his sharp mind move at double time. Hmm… “Hey, yeah. This is a nice little coffee shop. I’ve been coming here to work on my book.” 

“Oh, you’re a writer?” Chanyeol asks taking a sip of his coffee and regretting it when the strong brew burns his lip. 

“Something like that.” Kyungsoo says with a little smile that makes his eye crinkle in happy little half-crescents. “You need a place to sit?”

“Yeah, actually.” Chanyeol says pulling out the chair opposite Kyungsoo when the other man waves an offering hand at it. “I’ve got to check my emails and the internet’s been out at my apartment for the last week. No idea when it’s getting fixed or even if it’s getting fixed. So I come here. Got a little worried when I saw all the tables taken.”

“Well pull up a seat. No point in you going somewhere else. We can share the table.”

“Thanks!” He pulls out his computer and sets it up, glancing over the screen at the other man. He’s obviously older than him but probably only by a few years. Definitely not school age anymore but not too old either. With effort he focuses, clicking into his email as soon as the computer finishes booting up. Just as he’d hoped there’s an email from Baekhyun there waiting for him. He scans it. It’s details of a case that came across Baekhyun’s desk that the older man wants Chanyeol to write an article for. Nothing too wild, just a standard armed robbery. But Baekhyun wants to see what Chanyeol can do when he’s presented with nothing but the facts and a few witness statements. “Hmm.”

“Bad news?” Kyungsoo asks not even bothering to mask the fact that he’s been watching Chanyeol and not at all focusing on his story. 

“Naw, more like a challenge.” Chanyeol says looking up and grinning. “Just trying to think of how I’ll go about it.”

“A challenge?” He knows he’s being nosy but he doesn’t care. “What kind of challenge?”

Chanyeol chuckles and smiles at the other. “A mentor of mine is a crime writer for the Seoul Sun. He sent me a case and wants to see what kind of story I come up with for it. That’s my major. Writing that is. I hope to eventually have my own crime column.”

“Really?” Kyungsoo says leaning back in his chair. This guy is just too perfect. 

“Yeah.” Chanyeol rubs a shy hand on the back of his neck, flushing under Kyungsoo’s undivided attention. “I’m minoring in criminal justice and majoring in journalism. I figured it would be a good start to getting a foot in the door. And it’s helped. I know how to read between the lines of police reports. My mentor even offered me a position writing for him when I graduate.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Kyungsoo tells him with a sincere smile. “Good for you.”

“Thank you.” 

“Say,” Kyungsoo begins an idea coming to him, “I write crime novels. Nothing too crazy. But my editor says I could be a little more realistic. Would you mind if I picked your brain? Just to see if my plot would hold up in real life. No cop is gonna talk to me, writer or no, they’re not gonna tell me if I’ve plotted out the perfect crime or not, you know what I mean?” 

Chanyeol laughs along with him. “Yeah, I can’t see them helping you on that.” He gives Kyungsoo a mock probing look. “Promise it’s just for the book? I’m not helping a criminal mastermind get away with murder or something, am I?” 

Kyungsoo laughs, lips pulling back to reveal a disarmingly playful gummy smile. “Just the book.”

“Then I’ll do it.” Chanyeol agrees with a grin of his own. “It’ll be fun.”

“Awesome!” Kyungsoo gives a little nod and leans back in, pulling up the document on his computer. “Thank you.”

~*~

One would think after literally planning the perfect crime for his book Kyungsoo would have an easy time adapting it to real life but he’s having trouble ironing out a few of the details. It makes him feel incredibly sour to realize that this is exactly what the editor had been talking about. Every time he comes to a sticky part that just doesn’t feel right he thinks about the conversation with Chanyeol and the possession of the younger man’s phone number sits like a phantom weight in his wallet. He has to actually force himself not to pull it out and dial him so he can pick his brain for hours. But if he wants this to go perfectly then he needs to plan out as much as he can by himself. He can’t share too much of his plan with anyone else, not even Chanyeol. 

Getting up he pads to the kitchen and pulls out the half full bottle of whiskey, pouring himself a glass and adding a couple ice cubes. He’ll set up camp in front of his computer and drink himself blind. That seems to be his biggest inspiration lately. And then in the morning when he’s sober again he’ll make sure drunk-Kyungsoo isn’t completely stupid. If he can pull this off he’ll be a best selling author in no time. With that thought firmly in the back of his mind he takes a big gulp of whiskey and sits back down. Time to work. 

~*~

“Fuck.” Baekhyun pants coming down from his high and rolling to the side so he’s not crushing Chanyeol. “I’m gonna miss this.”

Chanyeol’s chuckle rumbles out deep from his chest as he too works to calm his breathing. “Yeah, you’re pretty much incredible. Just motivation for me to make a name for myself and get my own column so we can get back to this.” He falls quiet for a minute and then seems to realize what he said and hurries to rectify, “I mean, if you wanted to-”

“Hell yes.” Baekhyun rolls over so he’s back to being sprawled across Chanyeol’s chest and presses a kiss to the younger man’s jaw. “I mean, don’t be afraid to date or whatever, but just be prepared, as soon as it won’t damage either of our careers I’m gonna ride you like a cowboy at his last rodeo.”

That’s just too ridiculous of an image and Chanyeol snorts laughing, never mind that Baekhyun was doing just that not five minutes ago. Eventually though he gets his mirth back under control and loops an arm around the older man’s shoulders, rubbing soothingly at the warm skin beneath his fingers. Neither of them is disillusioned, this is needs, that’s all. “You never did tell me what you thought of the article.”

“Let’s just say we won’t have to embrace abstinence for long.” Baekhyun looks at him steadily. “You’ll have your own column before you know it.”

A flush climbs Chanyeol’s cheeks at the praise. “Thank you. I hope you’re right.”

“I know I’m right.” Baekhyun swoops down and captures Chanyeol’s lips in a possessive kiss, slowly deepening it until their both panting all over again. As much as he wishes the absolute best for Chanyeol a part of him hopes he doesn’t find anyone to date, they just click too well to give that up for something as mundane as feelings. “Wanna go for round two?”

Tightening his arms Chanyeol pulls Baekhyun close and lets his laughter be answer enough. 

~*~

“Thanks for meeting with me.” Kyungsoo says when he and Chanyeol have their coffees and are settled at a little table in the back of the coffee shop. He pulls out his computer and sets it up, pulling up the word document he has prepared with all the questions he wants to ask the student. “I appreciate you taking time to help me.”

“Oh gosh, no worries.” Chanyeol says easily settling down opposite him and setting his phone down on the table. He’s glad he and Baekhyun aren’t exclusive because he’s hoping if he plays his cards right he’ll have a chance with Kyungsoo. Something tells him the author is absolute dynamite in the sack. “It’s the least I can do after literally bowling you over in the subway.”

“I have to take a little credit for not paying attention to where I was going.” Kyungsoo says but he’s pleased with the shyly appreciative glances Chanyeol keeps sending his way. 

“So what questions did you want to ask?” Chanyeol says when the silence stretches and becomes just a little too warm. 

“You said your minor was criminal justice, right?” 

“Yeah,” Chanyeol confirms with a little nod, “Criminal justice minor and a journalism Major”

“So you’ve got a pretty good grasp of what would and wouldn’t fly in the criminal world.” 

It isn’t a question but Chanyeol nods all the same, waiting for the other to continue. 

“And a pretty good idea of what does and doesn’t get people caught.” Kyungsoo says delicately. He’s fishing a little here. If at any point Chanyeol starts to get weirded out by his questions he’ll drop the whole thing and go back to the drawing board. 

“Yeah, I mean most of what I see with the journalism is people who get caught, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about what goes into the perfect crime.” Chanyeol gives a little shrug and a self-depreciating chuckle. “It’s a pretty common pass time, I think. Especially for people who spend a lot of time in this kind of thing. I see so many people being idiots and getting caught, I can’t help but think about how I’d do it only better.”

Kyungsoo smiles then and it’s the most genuinely heartwarming gesture with his gums showing and his eyes crinkled in little half crescents. “I totally understand. I mean, I’m a writer. A mystery crime writer. I spend all my time thinking of stuff like that.”

“So you get it.” Chanyeol relaxes and takes another sip of coffee. “It’s not that I want to commit a crime, I just like knowing if I decided to I could do it better than these idiots who get caught.”

“Exactly.” Kyungsoo agrees readily. He leans forward and lets his brows furrow as he confides in the other. “Problem is my editor says my story doesn’t connect. That it isn’t realistic enough. Here I thought I had planned the perfect crime and he says it doesn’t connect with the readers. I just wanna make sure I’ve got the logistics of the crime figured out right.”

“Sure.” Chanyeol nods because that makes sense. “So what kind of crime are we talking about?”

“Kidnapping and murder.”

~*~

“Did you get lost on your way here?” Baekhyun asks when Chanyeol breezes into the office five minutes to close, sliding his phone into his pocket as he walks. They hadn’t had a set time but it’s not like Chanyeol to cut it so close. He takes in the flush high on Chanyeol’s cheeks and the slightly disheveled look of his hair and immediately puts two and two together. “You met someone.”

“I did.” Chanyeol agrees a little breathless. “You remember that author I told you about?”

“Yeah, the cute one with big eyes that you tried to squish in the subway?” Baekhyun asks with a grin. So he won’t get to enjoy Chanyeol’s bedrooms skills anymore, oh well, he’s happy for him all the same. “Did he actually call you about his book?”

“Yeah, he did.” Chanyeol doesn’t wait for Baekhyun to invite him to sit, he just settles into it like he lives there. “Dudes got a sick brain but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was kinda hot. He’s got the perfect crime planned out.”

Baekhyun laughs and shakes his head. “You would be excited about something like that.”

“I mean, it’s not like he plans to act on it.” Chanyeol says with a shrug. “It would be creepy if he did because the dude’s writing a murder mystery. But yeah, if he ever did decide to commit a crime, he’d get away with it.”

“And you find that attractive.” 

“God help me, I do.” Chanyeol says not minding the judgment from Baekhyun in the least. 

“Your hair’s messed up, does that mean he gave you a practical ‘thank you’ for helping him?” Baekhyun’s eyes sparkle and he leans back in his own chair, a smirk playing around his lips. 

“Maybe.” Chanyeol grins. 

“Are you seeing him again?” 

“Maybe.”

Baekhyun chuckles. “Good for you. So tell me about his plan. I wanna know if I agree with you or not.”

~*~

Kyungsoo: Here.

Chanyeol: Doors open, let yourself in. 

Kyungsoo checks the text and then does as he’s instructed, walking with purpose towards the little flat just off campus where Chanyeol had told him to come. He’s nervous, palms sweating but he just gives himself a little pep-talk and opens the door. “Anybody home?”

“Hi.” Chanyeol pokes his head around a little divider that appears to separate the entryway-combination-living room from the kitchen. 

“Hi.” Kyungsoo smiles in response to the shy warmth in Chanyeol’s handsome face. He holds up a bottle of wine. “I brought wine, hope it goes with dinner.”

“I’m making spaghetti, it’ll go perfectly.” Chanyeol says smiling beatifically. “Slip your shoes off and get in here so I can say hi and thank you properly.”

Kyungsoo raises his eyebrows but does as he’s told, anticipation curling in his stomach. He couldn’t be more pleased with how the night is turning out and he can’t wait to see how it unfolds. With that in mind he toes off his shoes and pads into the kitchen, handing over the wine before tipping his head back and accepting the kiss Chanyeol gives him.

~*~

It isn’t like Chanyeol to be late. Baekhyun glances at the clock and then goes back to rifling through his things trying to find his work badge. Where could it have gone? His mind flicks back and forth between the task at hand and Chanyeol’s tardiness. It’s only five minutes. If he’s still not here in another twenty he’ll try calling. But the time passes and Chanyeol never shows. 

“Hey Yeollie, where you at?” He says into the phone’s speaker when Chanyeol’s voicemail picks up. He’s given up looking for his name badge, unable to find it anywhere. “Did you forget we had an appointment today? Call me when you get this! Hope your date was good!”

He hangs up and goes back to his work. A new case comes across his desk then and he gets immersed in sussing out the whether-to’s and why-for’s of it. It isn’t until the office is closing up that he finally surfaces from the proverbial avalanche of work he’s been digging through and realizes he never heard back from Chanyeol and he never found his name badge. Worry creases his brow as he checks his phone just in case Chanyeol called and he didn’t notice. 

Nothing. 

Frowning at his phone he stands up and grabs his coat. Maybe he should swing by Chanyeol’s place, just to check on him. No doubt the giant oaf is in bed with his new amour. If he’s lucky the author will still be there and he can meet his friend’s new love interest and torment him a little. He nods to himself, yes, that’s what he’ll do. 

But the trip across town is for nothing. He knocks at the door and receives no answer. Very real concern lights in his belly and he pulls out his phone again, calling Chanyeol while looking through the thin little window by the door. He can see the coffee table and couch, Chanyeol’s phone buzzing away on the polished wood surface so loud he can hear it through the closed door. 

His concern grows and turns into outright worry. There’s no way Chanyeol can’t hear that from the bedroom. When it goes to voicemail he hangs up and calls again. Then he does it again. And again. No way Chanyeol would ignore his phone like this. Worry amps right up and panic claws it’s way down his throat. Something is very wrong. 

He looks at his phone again, this time dialing in another number. Impatiently he taps his foot and waits for the other end to pick up, wishing he could just break down the door and make sure his friend is okay. Dispatch picks up after only one ring. “KNPA, what is your emergency?”

“I think my friend might be hurt.” Baekhyun says thinking quickly how to concisely state what he believes has happened. “I’m at his apartment. He’s not answering his phone. He missed an appointment earlier today. None of this is like him.”

“When was the last time you saw your friend?” Dispatch asks, the sound of a computer clicking away in the background. 

“Day before yesterday.” 

~*~

Minseok purses his lips and listens to Baekhyun’s explanation of the events leading up to the police entering Chanyeol’s apartment. “Is it possible your friend is simply at the apartment of his new love interest?”

“No.” Baekhyun shakes his head and rubs a hand on the back of his neck. “You don’t understand, Chanyeol’s one of those guys who’s attached to his phone. It’s his biggest flaw. There’s no way he’d go out without the thing.”

“Do you know the name of the guy he had the date with so we can follow up with him?” Minseok asks making another couple notes in a small green flip notebook. 

“Do Kyungsoo.” Baekhyun chews on the inside of his cheek and tries to decide if he should tell Minseok the rest. He has no desire to mess with this Kyungsoo guy’s life but he’d be lying if the knowledge of what Chanyeol had shared with him about Kyungsoo’s book hadn’t left him with a bad taste in his mouth following his friend’s disappearance. He waits so long trying to decide that Minseok gets up and tucks his little notebook in his pocket along with his badge. 

“I’ll be in touch.” Minseok says in a distracted voice, already moving for the door. 

“Wait!” Baekhyun says quickly heart taking off in his chest when Minseok pauses and looks at him in question. He’s not sure if he’s doing the right thing but if Kyungsoo did something he’s got to make sure the cops know he had the wherewithal to pull it off. “There’s something else.”

~*~

Kyungsoo flicks a glance between Minseok and the handcuffs he’s holding. “You’re arresting me because I was the last person seen with him? That’s ridiculous. Check his phone. Check his apartment. I was there from a little before six on Friday evening until just past three in the morning. We had dinner. He made spaghetti and we split a bottle of wine. After we had very satisfactory sex and I left. No doubt my DNA is all over the apartment but there are witnesses who saw me leave. Three of Chanyeol’s neighbors were out on the porch smoking when I left. You can check with them.”

“See we did.” Minseok says giving Kyungsoo a hard look. “They also said that Chanyeol wasn’t seen again after your visit. So for now you’re coming in for questioning and we’ll go from there, okay?”

“You cuff everybody you bring in for questioning?” Kyungsoo asks with an arrogant quirk of his eyebrow but he turns around and puts his hands on the small of his back all the same. 

“Only the ones I really don’t like.” Minseok answers clipping the cuffs around Kyunsoo’s wrists. “C’mon. We’ll continue this conversation downtown.”

~*~

“So eventually they indicted you.” Baekhyun says wishing he could get a read on this guy. He’s charming despite the ugly orange jump suit and oddly arrogant, something about him just rubs him the wrong way. His mind keeps going over the plan that Chanyeol had shared with him all those months ago and he can’t help but wonder- did this guy do something like that to his friend?

“Yeah, they decided there was enough physical evidence at Chanyeol’s apartment to try me for murder.” Kyungsoo says with another little shrug. He paints a sad look on his face that’s just this side of too much. “It’s sad really, he’s a good guy. I’ve no idea what happened to him but I hope he’s okay. They never found a body- I’ve got to believe he’s alright.”

“Your book was published while you’ve been in prison.” Baekhyun says fighting the urge to tell this guy that Chanyeol wouldn’t just disappear for months without talking to anybody. The only way he’d disappear like this is if he were being held somewhere against his will or if he was dead. 

“Yeah, I mean, I had time to sit down and edit, you know?” Kyungsoo says with yet another shrug. “Spending time with real murderers must have helped the writing process because my editor said it felt much more connected this time.”

“In your book the main character uses drugged wine to kidnap the victim. There are some who speculate that you could have done that to Chanyeol.”

Kyungsoo gives him a calculating look. “Why would I? Listen, I liked the guy. We went on a couple dates and I bounced story ideas off him. If I was going to- what? Drug and murder him why would I tell him how I’d do it first? That just doesn’t make any sense. Besides, the cops tested the wine I brought. There was nothing in it but wine.”

“Maybe.” Baekhyun concedes staring hard at Kyungsoo trying to read beneath the phony facade he puts forward. 

“I had no motivation to kill him.” Kyungsoo tells him and for the first time since the interview began the words taste of the truth.

“They say you’re writing another book.” Baekhyun presses feeling his heart in his throat. Something tickles the back of his mind. Were there ways to drug someone without leaving any trace? How could Kyungsoo have gotten Chanyeol out of the apartment without being seen? He has no answers but instinctively he knows that there’s truth in the last little bit that he said. He had no motivation to kill him. Maybe Channie isn’t dead after all. “I’m told it’s about a kidnapping this time.”

“You’re very well informed for a newspaper journalist.” Kyungsoo tells him with a mild look but then he shrugs and quirks an eyebrow. “But the cops and lawyers have asked all these questions. What makes you think you’re gonna get a different answer?”

“We all have our own roles.” Baekhyun tells him dismissively. “I have to ask so I can write the article.”

“For the Seoul Sun.” Kyungsoo confirms, look knowing, a small smirk playing around his mouth.

“Yes.” Baekhyun’s sharp mind moves fast. Is there some way this Kyungsoo guy knew about him? Is he being played? The questions swarm his mind and he tries desperately to discern some kind of answer from the look in Kyungsoo’s eyes.

“Well,” Kyungsoo blinks and the moment is lost. “I look forward to reading it when I get out.”

“When you get out?” Baekhyun asks confused. “The jury hasn’t reached a verdict yet.

“Jury reads tomorrow.” Kyungsoo tells him steadily. “All things considered, it’s looking like I’ll be found innocent. Without a body- no evidence, no crime right? Hopefully they’ll find something so they can bring whoever hurt Chanyeol to justice. Such a fine young man, just goes to show crime is indiscriminate about who it targets.”

~*~

Baekhyun sits in his car and watches the front gate of the prison open up, two guards walking out flanking a smaller figure. Kyungsoo. That basterd is going free. Shaking his head in disgust Baekhyun sinks a little lower in his seat and pulls his baseball cap low on his head, watching. 

He watches as Kyungsoo is picked up by a taxi, sliding into the backseat. There’s a brief moment as he talks with the driver but then the car pulls out into traffic and Baekhyun eases out behind them, several cars behind so he can follow at a discrete distance. They make their way across town to a neighborhood of tall nondescript apartment buildings, pulling up outside one with rusted out balcony’s that look like a real hazard. 

Carefully Baekhyun eases his car in behind a dumpster and settles in to watch. Kyungsoo pays the taxi driver and exits, going directly to the front door of the building. The address matches the one Baekhyun had found as belonging to Kyungsoo. He knows that the author had paid for the place through his internment in prison and he wonders at it. Why would he stay here when he’s suddenly very wealthy? 

Knowing he could be here for a while Baekhyun pulls out Kyungsoo’s book and flips through the pages. He doesn’t know why but he just feels there’s got to be a clue in here. Kyungsoo seems like the arrogant type who’d need to leave a clue – who’d want there to be a chance someone could figure it out but who’d trust that no one would. He reads over the kidnapping scene again and then goes to the murder. Where did he do it in the book? In the book the main character had chosen a place significant to how they met. 

Baekhyun thinks that over. How had Chanyeol and Kyungsoo met? Literally running into each other at the subway. His brow furrows as he thinks that over. Which connection would it have been? A sudden brainwave strikes him and he tosses the book into the passenger seat, putting the car in gear so he can ease away from the curb and speed off down the street, so focused on driving he doesn’t notice the lone figure six stories up watching him from the balcony.

How? 

His breaths rip from his chest and his heart pounds painfully in his chest. There’s no fucking way. 

It takes less than five minutes for him to reach his office, parking his car and nearly sprinting past the elevator to the subway connection below. He comes out on a landing, halfway down where there are two locked doors and tests first one and then the other. To his surprise and horror it swings forward. Steeling himself he steps forward. It must have been this connection where Kyungsoo and Chanyeol had first met. He and Chanyeol had been together earlier that day and Kyungsoo must have used the connection to get to his appointment at the publisher’s since by foot it’s only a ten minute walk from the apartment building. 

The room he steps into is dark and he fishes out his cellphone, pulling up the flashlight feature so he can see. It casts long shadows all around but for the life of him all he sees is a dark boiler room. He’s just about given up when he catches sight of something, the corner of something behind one of the large metal machines at the far end of the room where no one would ever go, not even for maintenance. The clank and whir of machinery amps his heartbeat higher as he steps around the machines to the back of the room. Is he about to find Chanyeol’s body? 

He rounds the machine and steels himself for the worst or so he thinks. But what he finds is even worse than a body. It’s a pool of blood, several hairs the exact same color as Chanyeol’s, and worst of all – his own office badge, smeared with blood. What in the actual fuck? 

And then it hits him. Everything points right to him. His interest in the case. Him being the person to report Chanyeol missing. His discreet relationship with him. Visiting Kyungsoo in prison. His avid following of the trial. And now this. His missing name badge here smeared no doubt with his friend’s blood. His stomach drops to his shoes and he’s pretty sure he’s gonna throw up. If he hides this he’s an accomplice. If he reports it – there’s no doubt in his mind what conclusion the cops will come to. He’s stuck between a rock and hard place and all the evidence points in one very clear direction. 

He’s been framed.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love.


End file.
